As some of you know, I am writing a book about the B-Wing, and therefore the Nebulon B Frigate.
However, one thing kept bugging me - what made the Nebulon so special - why was it so much better at the anti-starfighter role than other ships already in service.
Think about this - the top three pet hates of all fighter pilots :
3) Missiles - you always know there are more missiles than you have countermeasures, and with missile boats keeping back under the guard of SDs, its bad.
2) Interceptors - specifically designed to take you down ! Not the greatest of company at ANY battle.
1) The biggy - Crossfire Zones.

Then it hit me - the Nebulon is so good, because it can create it's own crosfire zones !!!!
It came to me when I was looking at a sketch of her form side on, and cotemplating her turbolaser emplacements. Her almost 'dumb bell' shape....

I'll go in to greater detail later, as Im strapped for time at mo, but this is quite a break through, as it also explains why a new class of heavy fighter was needed to explote a weakness inherent in the nebulons design, which is actually also a heavily defended point by 'accident' almost !

nova_wolf

01-22-2001 10:48 AM

Okay - why it is so good - crossfire zones.
It can create a doghnut shaped fire zone about it's pylon in the X/Y plane, and to a lesser extent, the Y/Z plane :
Imagine the Foward set of decks as a sphere, and the rear, egine section of the ship as a sphere. Now have lines radiating out, from their centre, in all directions. On their own, you have a lot of lines - an ugly windmill if you like.
However, join these two spheres by a pylon (rectangle in between of rough scale), and remove lines that would indicate the ship shooting itself, and you will find that above and below the pylon, a pattern of over crossing lines. These are it's crossfire zones !
If a nebulon got between home ship and fighters, the Allinace force is screwed !
Hows THAT for a theory !

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Nova Squadron, the Elite B-Wing flight group stationed aboard the Nebulon B Frigate 'Oracle', home of the tech library.

Tho concept was that the Neb-B was created to do Convoy escort, and bring alnog a few fighters to combat the Rebel tactic of Hit and runs.

Typicall rebel attack on shipping lanes would either find very little escort, that did not have quick response for Reinforcments. Or they found a Star Destroyer. The Empire wanted to use their ISDs for other things then escorting convys (i think the captains wanted action)

The Neb-B was as a Anti-starfighter platform that was able to bring SOME fighter escorts with the convoys. Most captial ship have convergin Fire zones (we call them "money lanes") it jsut isn't as apparnt as the Neb-Bs fire zone.

Now, this plan probly would have worked but for 2 reasons.

1. 1 Neb-B is not enuf (B-wing was designed to take out the Neb-B by itself)

2. Defecting captains (why do you think the rebels had an imperial ship)

Like hte Lancer class frigate, it was too little, and after the devoplemnt of the B-wing as the new rebel Stike craft, too late

Helix

10-20-2001 12:04 AM

The Neb. B frigate was oringinally created by the Empire. But some fell into rebel hands and are now used.
That's one reason they are so special.

Flying Beastie

10-21-2001 09:49 PM

Actually, the real advantage of the Nebulon-B series was something that you can't notice unless you look at the stats.

Before the Neb-B, the main Imperial ships-of-the-line were VSDs, ISDs, and the occasional carrier or galleon left over from the Old Republic.

Thing is, Star Destroyer-type vessels are made for ship-to-ship action; their guns are turbolasers. Sure they can swat an X-wing down with one hit, but they're energy-intensive, slow to recharge, and not particularly accurate against fast-moving targets.

The Nebulon-B (and the *shudder* Lancer) are designed with smaller guns speciffically designed to be able to track and lead small targets like snubfighters.

See, this is why XWA.net is the best place. I thought this subject I started was dead and buried, but your still helping me out...

Anyway, for the purpose of my book, I have it that the first Nebulon under Rebel control is actually one that was left after a nasty assault against Shantipole, that is ioned to hell. They claim it, refit it, and use it. And I think it fair enough for that first Rebel frigate to be the Redemption...

Any questions ? HAHA

Cheers guys.

Support the Oracle - embark.to/oracle

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Nova Squadron, the Elite B-Wing flight group stationed aboard the Nebulon B Frigate 'Oracle', home of the tech library.